Sheet-feeding machine



C. E. CHRISTOPHEL.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 29, 1919.

L41 @,996 'Patented Mar. 28, i922.

SHEETSmSHEET I.

C, E. CHEIS-'OPffEL.

SHEET EEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT.29,19x9.

LlQQ., .Patene Mar. 28, i922.

ZSHEETSSHEET 2.

W/T/VESS C. E. CHRISTOPHEL.

SHEET FEFDING MACHINE.

n."'PUCAHON FILED ocT=29,1919.

2,41 09996, Patented Mar. 28, 1922.

`7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W/ T/VESS C. E. CHRISTOPHEL.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILI-:D ocT. 29, 1919.

' Patented Mar. 28, 1922.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

-IAIGIQQQ WITNESS C. E. CHRISTOPHEL.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 29. 1919.

Patented Maf. '28, E922.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

" v mm1/frs C. E. CHRISTOPHEL.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 29. 1919.

289 1922. SHEETS-SHEET 7.

Patented Mar.

" period.

I4unTT'en `sTaTss saTsnT erstes0 CARL E. CHRISTOPHEL, OFJPEARI: RIVER, NEW YORK,ASSIGNOR T0 DEXTER FQLDER CGMPANY, 0F PEARL ENTER, NEW YORK, A CORPRATION 0F NEW YUM.

snaar-ambrato smentita( ratones.

Specification of Letters Patent. )pimenter-ecdl Mim, 28, 11922 application llcd detener $89, 1919. @arial No. 334,264.

New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Sheet-Feeding Machines, of which the following is al specifica-- tion.

This invention relates to sheet feeding machines and has forQits primary object to provide an improved construction and arrangenient of parts in sheet feeding machines whereby con'lbing wheels arranged in tandem and cooperatively driven are rendered effective on sheets of smaller size than have heretofore been effectively operated upon by machinesof this character. (lne of the objects of the present invention is to provide improvedmeans whereby the sheet feeding pressure exerted by` a combing wheel upon a pile of sheets, may be cushioned in such a way as to produce a more eective separation between the sheets and equalization of pressure between combing wheels arranged" iu tandem. Another object of invention ,is to provide pack advancing means of improved construction ace-ording to which in the present embodiment of my invention, the thickness ot' the pack operated upon vby the combing wheel or wheels is automatically controlledby the duration ofthe combing For this purpose, suitable mechanism is provided which is set for operation during a prolonged combing )eriod but which only becomes fully operative for imparting the pack feed movementJ during thoseV periods in which the periodic cam holds the comber or combers away from the pile or pack. Other and further objects will appear in the speciicatin and be pointed out in the claims, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 1s a top plan view of a sheet feeding machine embodying the principles of this invention; l

Figure Q is a side eleva-tion of the same taken from the left of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a. section on the line 3-3 Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 Figure 1;

Figure 5 ure l; i

Figures 6 and 7 are outline elevations of the parts'shwn in Figure 4 for illustrating is a section on the line 5 5 Figdifferentsstages of the sheet feeding operation y Figure 8 is a fragmentary section.

As shown `in Flgure 1, a. power shaft 1 journaled in a bracket 2 mounted on the main frame 3 of the sheet feeding machine,

carries a bevel pinion d which meshes into a similar pinion (not shown) which is keyed to the lower end of a shaft 5. Keyed to the upper end of said shaft 5 is a bevel gear 'd which meshes with a bevel gea-r 7 on the right end of a main drive cam shaft 8, said cam shaft being journaled in oppositely disposed side frames 9 and 10 which are mounted on the main frame 3. @n the left end of the cam shaft d is mounted a large cam 11 which as shown in Figure 2, is adapted to operate on a. cam roller 12 journaled on the upper end of a. ratchet lever 13, said ratchet lever being freely jeurnaled on a pack feeding' shaft 14. Pivotally mounted at 15 on a rearwardly presented arm of the ratchet lever 13 is a pawl l'whichenga es a ratchet 17,011 the pack feed shaft 1i. ccording to the present embodiment of my invention, a. plurality of laterally spaced feed tape rollers 18 are keyed to the shaft 14. Over these feed rollers pass the forward ends of endless feed tapes 19. 'lhe upper runs of. these feedftapes travel above the pack carrying table 20 and when said feed tapes are moved, the ile l? is thickened beneath the combing fee rollrearwardly from the ratchet lever 13 isv an arm- 21 vrovided'with a hook 22, said hook bein a apted to cooperate with a hook 23 on t e forward endof a latch lever arm 24 which is keyed to a rock shaft 25. `It will be understood that whenever the hooks 22 and 23 are in engagement with each other, the ratchet lever 13 is preventedffrom following into the inner run ofthe ,earn 11 under the pull of aspring 26 which is connected at one end to afxed in 27 and at its other end to a' pin 28j carriedp by the ratchet lever 13. An adjustable stop in' 29 ma be suitably mounted in the slde frame 0 to limit the throw of ratchet lever 13 to impart a movement to ratchet 17 of one, two, or more teeth'` as desired or as may be called for by the character of the paper which is beng hanand collar 39 (see Figure 3) to which is secured a spring arm 31 which is adapted under certain conditions to fulfill the functions of a cani arm. rihe spring 32 which is secured at one end to a tired pin 33 and at its other end to the spring arm 31, tends to hold the hooks 22 and 23 in engagement with each other.

l/Vhenever the sheet combing device, to be presently described, drops te the pack of sheets on feed table 20, the spring arm 31 is depressed ina way which tends to separatev linthe side 'frames 9 and 10 as shown in Figure 1`. Referring now to Figure 3, the drive shaft 39 has keyed thereto 'a spur gear 40 which is connected by idlers 41 to a lspur gear 42 which is keyed to a combing wheel shaft 43. The left end of s/haft 43 as well as the pins 44 upon which the idlers 41 are journaled, are carried by a 'lever arm 45 in the form of a gear'housingfr, The right end 'of the combingwheel shaft 43 is journaled in .a lever arm 46. As shown in Figure 4, the

drive shaft 39 extends through a sleeve 47 to which are keyed the lever arm housing 45 andv the lever arm 46. According to the present embodiment of my invention, ,aboutmidway between the lever arms 45 and 46 is disposed a gear housing- 48 within-which the combing wheel shaft 43.V is journaled. gear housing 48 is therefore rotatably supported on the shaft 43. `|ln order to hold it in definite angular relation toA the. shaft 43,

` said gear housing is Vprovided with a forwheel 56 journaled on a shaft 57 in the rear wardly and upwardly presented extension 48 which as shown best in lfigures 6 and 7 is provided with bifurcated arms 49. and 50 which carry adjustable screws 51 which bear on the sleeve 47 for determining the angular position ofsaid gear housing. is `shown in Figure 1, a combing wheel 52 is keyed to the] shaft 43. Adjacent thereto, a gear 53 is keyed to the shaft 43, said gear 53 being in mesh with an idler 54 which transmits power. to a gear 55 for driving a second combing end of gear housing 48. Referring more especially to Figure l, the sleeve 47 is adapted to be oscillated on the drive shaft 39 by means of a cam arm 58 which is preferably imade integral with the boss 59 from which projects the lever arm housing 45. @n one side of the cam arm 58 is-journaled a cam roller 60 which runs on a periodic cam 61 which is secured a set screw 62 of the andere cam shaft 8. 0n the other side of the cam arm 58 vis journaled a cam roller 63 which runs on a cam 75 which turns freely upon .the cam shaft 8 but is provided with a laterally projecting pin 65 to which is connectedone end of a spring 66, the other end of said spring being connected to a pin 67 carried by anarm 68 which is keyed to a stay shaft 69 which extends between the side frames 9 and 10. ln order to provide suitable and eiicient means for equalizing the actions of the combing wheels 52 and 56, the pack feeding board or table 20 is provided with an arcuate recess or hollow 70 beneath the combing wheel 52, said hollow being covered by a spring plate 71 over which the sheets are fed by the pack feed mechanism. Where, as in the present embodiment of my invention, the pack feed belts 19 have their upper runs arranged above the table 20, it is desirable to have the feed table 20 provided with a spring plate 71 as shown in Figure 8 and to cover said spring plate with a strip of leather or other suitable material 72, the upper surfaces of the feed belts 19 and the leather strip 72 being arranged in a common plane. By an inspection of Figure 4, it will be understood that the spring plate 71 affordsa yieldable support for the sheets between it and the combing wheel 52 and thereby insures al requisite degree of pressure be-A tween the colnbing wheel 56 and the portions of the sheets-thereunder. As shown best in vFigure 3, a pin 73 which projects laterally from the gear housing lever arm 45, is adapted to slide over the spring arm 31 which is carried by the rock shaft 25. lt will be seen therefore that whenever the hooks '22 and 23 have been disengaged by the cam 11 imparting the extreme displacement, toward the right to the roller 12 (according to Figure 2), the hook 23-will be lowered with respect to the hook 22 by the combing wheels in lowered position. f LIn* order to provide suitable means for raising the combing wheels after the top sheet of the pack vhas reached a predetermined position, a variable cam 64 carries'a pivot pin 74 upon which is mounted a lever comprising an upper arm 75 and a bent lower arm 76." The upper arm 75 of said lever is connected by av rod 77 with a crank arm 78 mounted on a-rook shaft 79 within the side frarne 10. @n the outside of said side frame 16, said rock shaft 79 has keyed thereto another crank-armv 80 which is connected` by a rod 8 1 to a crank pin 82 which projects laterally from the cam 11. As shown best in Figure 3, the lower arm 76 of said lever is connected by a link 83 with the forward end of a ratchet bar 84. lt will be un` derstood from this description, that the revintense said rack bar 8s has its movement interrupted, the lower end of lever arm 76 be-l comes substantially fixed in osition with the exception of a slight up an -down movement to accommodate Vthe resulting movement imparted to the pin 7A. Under this condition, the continued movement of the cam 11 and crank pin 82 produces a clockwise movement of ivot pin 7a about the cam shaft 8 and a similar movement to the trip cam 64. According to the present embodiment of my inventlon, sheet controlled means for interrupting the ratchet bar 8d, is provided in the following mechanism. 0scillatably mounted in the side frames 9 and 10 is a rock shaft 85 which as shown in Figl y ure 5 is provided with a cam arm 86. J ournaled on the upper Jend of cam arm 86 is a /cam roller 87 which runs on a cam 88 keyed to the" cam shaft 8. A spring 89 is secured at one end to cam arm 86 and has its other endy secured to a bracket arm 90 which is keyedto the stay shaft 69. Keyed to the rock shaft 85 on opposite sides of the machine are horizontal arms 91-Which carry an oscillatable shaft 92. Mounted on the shaft 92 is a sheet actuated pendulum 93 which normally hangs across the throat 94; formed between the feed tapes 95 and the guides 96 which are suspended-from the rock shaft 85., As shown best in Figure 32 a pendulum shaft 92 carries a pawi 97 which is adapted to engage the rack bar 84 whenever the pen dulum 93 is raised by the forward edge of a sheet as it passes through the throat 94C. Drop rollers 98 which are keyed to a drop rmoller shaft 99 are adapted to engage the sheet as it is`fed from the pack.- For'this purpose', said shaft 99 is journaled in lever 'arms 100 which are keyed td a rock/'shaft 101provided with a cam arm 102, a cam roller 103 which is journaled in saidv cam arm 102 being operated by the drop roller cam 104. For this purpose said cam 10e which comprises relatively adjustable arts for varying the periodic action of said cam to meet the require ments of different size sheets, is keyed to the cam shaft 8. Projecting readwardly from Xthe center frame bracket 105 is a track bar 106 upon which is adjustably mounted a block 107 provided with a depending arm 1.08 to which is pivotally connected` a yoke 109 which serves to mount a tail -drag pressure roller `1'10. A slide 111 which may be adjusted to any desired position on the track han 106, is provided with suitable guides 112 within which reciprocates a ratchet bar' 113 which carries at its lower end a tail drag clamping foot 114. Pivotally mounted /at 115 upon the block 111 is an arm 116 which is rovided on its outer end with a cam rol er 117 which rides on a cam bar 118. Pivoted at 119 on the arm 116 is a pawl 120 which is adapted-to engage the rack bar 113k whenever the cam bar 118 is lifting the cam roller 117. The forward end of the cam bar 118 is connected to one arm 121 of a lever which is pivoted on a stud 122, the other arm 123 of said lever being connected by a link 124; with the rear arm 125 of a cam lever which is pivoted on a stud 126. rllhe forwardly extendingarm 127 of said cam lever is provided With a cam roller 128 which runs on a cam 129 which is keyed to the cam shaft l guides are held in position by suitablev bracket arms 133 which project rearwardly from a stay shaft 13d. rl`he operation of my improved machine will now be readily understood and briefly ldescribed is as follows.

Referrin to Figure i the )art-s are shown in their relative positions-shortly after the combing rolls have dropped to the pack, by reason of the periodic cam 61 having permittedethe combing roll cam arm 58 to drop towards the cam shaft 8. 'lhe top sheet has been releasedby the tail clamp 11er and is progressing under the action of the combing rolls towardtjhe pendulum 93. Supposing that the operation of the machine is normal, according to Figure. 7 of the drawings, the sheet has displaced the pendulum upwardly and thrown the pawl 97 intol 'engagement with the rack bar 8st. immediately the lever 75, 76 commences to oscillate about its lower endand 'thus imparts a clock-wise oscilla-p `tion to cam 64: (accordingto"`l `ig11re 3) Figure 3. At the proper instant, the drop rollers 98 drop into engagement 'with the sheet and drive" it forward on to the feed tapes 95. At the same time cam 88 has operated the cam. arm .86 to elevate the pendulum 93 and shaft 92 together with the guides 96 to leave an unobstructed passage for the Jsheet which is being fed from the pack. The parts are then returned to normal and the feeding operation repeated. As the feeding operation goes on, the pack feeding cam arm 13 is operated upon by the protuberancc 11 to disengage the hooks 22 and 23. As long as the combing period is not unduly prolonged in bringing the top sheet to the pendulum 93, the combing wheels will always be elevated before the protuberance 11' will be held against the hook 22 and hence will be interloclred therewith as soon as the protuberance 11 has passed the cam roller 12. @n the other hand, ifl as indicated in Figure 2, the combing wheels, during the precedingoperation, remained down on the pack while the protuberance 11 was overthrowing the roller 12, the latch arm 2e was depressed during the time that the hooks 22 and 23 were disengaged 'so that as the roller 12 has passed around the cam 11 after leaving protuberance 11', the hook 22 has moved toward the left to a position in which the hook 23 cannot return into engagement therewith. lt will be seen therefore that Awhen the roller 12 reaches the position shown in Figure 2, it will tend to drop into the inner run of the cam 11 such a way as to impart a feeding rotation to the ratchet 17, tape rollers 18 and feed tapes 19. The position of the pih 29 determines the amount of this feed movement which may be ad- `jiusted at will to suit the character of the The combing wheel cannot be farther than six inches away from the drop roller for the reason that the rear edge of the sheet would Vbe beyond control before the front edge thereof came under the control of said drop roller. inasmuch as the combing wheel under normal conditions should comb the top sheet about one inch ahead of the next one below in order to prevent the drop roller from dragging along the second sheet with it, it will be seenl that a single combing wheel N would be operating on onlyabout eight or ten sheets ata time. lin order to secure a uniform separation between successive sheets, it has been found necessary to have atleast as many sheets again under the combing Wheel. vllhis necessity is met in the present invention by the second combing wheel arranged in tandem and in the rear l of the same where the number of sheets is greater.A ln this connection, it has been found desirable to provide some means for cushioning one of the combing wheels to overcome any variation that occurs when the thickness of sheets under the rear combing wheel varies. ll prefer to employ a strip of spring steel which as shown in llligure 8 is preferably lined with leather on top. l thus secure a double comber action which is capable of Fon Thus according to Figure 4 Macnee greatrapidity, accuracy and uniformity in its actio lihile the invention has been illustrated and described with particular reference to the continuous type Yof feeding machine in which a bank of sheets is automatically advanced over an inclined table, 1 would have it understood that the main features of the present invention are applicable to pile feeding machines in which a pile is automatically elevated to retain the top sheet in the plane olf operation ofthe separating and feeding-off devices. `lin the application of the invention to a pile feeding machine, it will be clear that the tandem combing wheels can operate over the inclined delivery board at the front of the pile as shown in Patent No. 1,301,543. V7 ith this application of the invention, it will be plain that the elevation of the pile can be automatically controlled by the operation of the combing devices in substantially the same manner as the advance ofthe pack is controlled in the continuous type of feeder. rl`he expression found in some of the claims referring to the advance of the pack or pile is intended to refer to the supply of sheets operated upon whether in the continuous or pile type of feeder.

`l claim: 'J

1. 1n a sheet feeding machine, sheetcomb- A ing wheels arranged 1n tandem and movable together into and out of combingengagement with a pack of sheets, and a table for supporting said pack of sheets, said table being provided with a hollow space corre spending to one of said combing wheels to permit a relative yielding of the pack at that point with respect to the portion of the pack engaged by the other combing wheel.

2. ln a sheet feeding machine, the combination with means for supporting sheets to be separated, of sheet combing wheels rotatable about spaced axes, a movable support common to said combing wheels, and means for oscillating said common support for moving said combing wheels into and out of engagement@ with said sheets.

` 3.. ln a sheet feeding machine, the combination with means for supporting sheets to be separated, of sheet combing wheels rotatable about spaced axes, means for mov' ing the rotary axes of. said combing wheels about a common axis to move said combing wheels into and out of engagement with said sheets, said sheet supporting means having a yieldable portion disposed beneath one of said combing wheels.

ll. ln a sheet feeding machine, a table or support for holding sheets to be separated, combing wheels arranged in tandem to rotate in a common plane, a combing wheel support common to said combing wheels and movable towards and away from said table or support, and means for moving said namens combing wheel subpbrt for throwing said combing Wheels into and out of engagementv With a sheet carried by said table or support for holding sheets.

5. ln a sheet feeding machine, a table lor support for holdingl sheets to be separated,

a combing Wheel support movable towardssupport being provided with portions yieldable in different amounts for equalizing the pressures ot said combing Wheels.

6. n a machine of the character described, the combination of sheet sup-porting means, and a pair ot combing Wheels movable into and out of engagement with sheets on said supporting'means` said sheet supporting means being provided With means for cushioning the pressure of one ot said combing Wheels. i

7. 1in a machine of the character described, the combination with a table or support for a pile or'pack of sheets to be sepav rated, of a pair of combing wheels movable moving said combing Wheels to into and out of engagement with said pile or pack, and means tor cushioning thepressure of one of said combing Wheels.

8. ln a machine of the character described, the combination with a table-or su port tor a pack of sheets increasing in thickness from front toward the rear thereof, ot combing Wheels having a common mount adapting said combing Wheels to be moved into and out otengagement with portions oi said pack which differ in thickness. i

9. lin a machine ot the character described, the combination With` a table or su ort :tor a pack of sheets increasing in thic mess from front toward the rear thereof, otn a combing Wheel suitably mounted to move into and` out of engagement with a relatively thin portion of said pack, another combing Wheel suitably mounted to move into and out of engagement With a relatively thick portion of the pack, means for rether into and out of engagement lWith said5 pack, and means for cushioning one of said` combing wheels. Y ,t i0. lin a machine ot the character described, the combination with sheet holding means, of sheet combing Wheels arranged in a common plane, a rotary shaft to which one of Vsaid combing Wheels is non-rotatably lconnected, another shaft to which the other ot said combing Wheels is non-rotatably connected, gears on saidshafts, and an idler interposed between said gears.

,11. in a machine of the character described, sheet .combing means movable into and out of sheet combing position, an oscillatory cam for moving said sheet combing means out oit combing position, a lever pivotally mounted on said cam,l a reciprocatory bar connected to said lever, means tor oscillating said leven whereby said bar is rcciprocated, and sheet actuated means for interrupting the recip'rocatory movement ot said bar, said lever oscillating means being adapted thereby to rotate said cam for moving the sheet combing means out of sheet combing position.

12. ln a machine of the character described, the combination with a support -for a pile of sheets, of a ,combing Wheel suport movable in a plane -extending longitudinally of the first mentioned support, combing Wheels journaled in said combing Wheel support andnarranged in tandem with respect to the direction of feed, and means for shifting said combing Wheel support for U moving said combing Wheels into and out of simultaneous engagement with a pile of sheets mounted on said pile support, said combing Wheels being connected together to rotate in unison.

13. lin a machine of vthe character described, the combination with `a support for a`pile of sheets, of a combing Wheel support movable in a plane extending longitudinally-- of the first mentioned support, combing Wheels journaled in said combing wheel support and arran ed in tandem with respect to the direction o feed, means for shifting said combing Wheel support for moving said combing wheels into and out ot' simultaneous engagement with a pile of sheets mounted on said pile support, said combing Wheels being connected* together to rotate in unison and means for determining the period ot activity of said combing wheels, the last said means including a sheet actuated element disposed inthe path of a sheet moved by said combing vvheelsl` 14. in a machine of the character described, the combination with sheet holding means, of sheet combing wheels arranged in a common plane, said combing Wheels being rotatable about aires spaced apart a distance iis approximately equal to the diameter oit one of said-combing wheels, said combing Wheels being progressively arranged Wlth respect to said sheet holding means to operate upon an increasing number oit i sheets.

l5. lin a machine of the character de\ scribed, the combination with means itor supporting a ack ot sheets, means arranged in- .the path ot and actuated by a sheet 'fed from said pack, combing Wheels movable in a cointtt mon plane into and out of position to feed sheets from said pack tovvar s said sheet actuated means, said combing Wheels being ar'- lll@ ranged in tandem in their plane ot movement and progressively arranged with reiat ice I spect to said pack supporting means'to operate on a pack which increases in thickness -away from said sheet actuated means.

16. in a machine of the character described the combination of a sheet supporting table, with a pair of combing wheels arranged in tandem with respect to the direcably spaced to hold the sheets of said pilev or pack in side registry as they are fed 'for- `ward in the machine, l.combing wheels arranged in tandem'in the direction of feed and movable in a plane intermediate to said laterallynspaced guides, .and sheet controlled means fordetermining Athe period of comb f of said combing wheels, saidcoinbing wheeis being rotatable about axes spaced from each other a distance approximately equal to the diameter of one of said combing wheels.

18. ln a lmachine of the character described, a power driven shaft, a frame oscillatable on said shaft, a combing wheel shaft journaled in Said frame and driven bythe first mentioned shaft, a second combing wheel arranged in tandem with the first mentioned combing wheel and driven thereby, a table for supporting sheets to be separated by said combing wheel, and sheet actuated means for controlling the oscillatory movements of said frame.

19. ln a machine of the character described, a power driven shaft, a frameoscillatable on said shaft, a combing wheel shaft journaled in said frame and driven by the first mentioned shaft, a second combing wheel arranged in tandem with the first mentioned combing wheel and driven thereby, a table for supporting sheets to be separated by Said combing wheel, and sheet actuated means for controlling the oscillatory movements of said frame, said table being provided with a hollow or recess corresponding to one of said combing wheels.

20. In a machine of the character de-l a table for supporting sheets tobe separated by said combing wheel, and sheet actuated means for controlling the oscillatory movements of said frame, said table being provided with a hollow or recess" corresponding to one of said combing wheels, and a resilient plate OI' yeldably supporting sheets raides@ under and acted upon by that combing wheel.

21. lin a machine of the character described, a combing wheel oscillatable about an axis, a freely journaled cam for. lifting said combing wheel from a pile of sheets, a lever movable about an axis on said cam, means for oscillating said lever on said axis and sheet controlled means for constraining said lever to move about a pivotal axis distant from the first mentioned axis, said lever being operatably connected to said cam for raising said combing wheel.

22. in a machine of the character described, an automatically. controlled sheet combing device, sheet actuated means for determining the duration of the period of activity of said sheet combing device, said means including an oscillatory cam for moving said device out of sheet combing position,a lever pivotallyy mounted on said cam on an axis eccentric to the oscillatory axis lof said cam, a reciprocatory bar connected to lsaid lever, means for oscillating said lever on its axis for imparting a reciprocatory vmovement to said bar, and sheet actuated means for interrupting the movement of said bar, said lever being thereby adapted to oscillatesaid cam for moving said device out of sheet combing position. t 23. ln a machine of thecharacter describeda sheet feeding instrumentality movable into and out of engagement with a pile of sheets," an oscillatory member adapted when oscillated to remove said instrumentality from the pile, a lever pivotally mounted t on said oscillatory'member on an axis distant from the oscillatory axis of said member, sheet controlled means including an element adaptedto. constitute a fulcrum for said rlever distant from the pivotal axisof said lever, and means for oscillating said lever, said lever being adapted by said fulcrum to remove said instrumentality from said pile.

24. in a machine of the character described, a combing wheel movable into and out of engagement with a pile of sheets, a freely, jo'urnaled cam for raising said combing wheel, .a lever pivotally mounted on said cam on an axis eccentric to the axis of said cam, means for oscillating said lever, and sheet actuated means for holding said lever to a pivotal movement about an axis distant from its pivotal axis, said lever being adapted to move said cam for imparting a movenient to said combing wheel away from said pile. f

25. ln a machine of the character described'a sheet combing wheel adapted to rise and fall with respect to a pile of sheets, aA freely journaled cam for iaising said combing wheel from the pile, a lever pivf otallymounted on said cam at a distance frigthe axis of said cam, means for movnfl-ieee@ ing said lever, a ratchet movably connected to said lever, and a sheet actuated pavvl .adapted to engage said ratchet for impartscribed, a sheet combing instrumentalityA movable into and out of engagement `vvith pile of sheets, a pvotally supported lever,

means for oscillating said lever on its pivotal support, normally movable meane trav=` elling in a path removed from the pivotal axis of said lever, said lever being movably connected to said normally mova le means, sheet actuated 'means for interrupting the movement of said normally movable means, and means actuated by'said lever when the movement [of said normally movable means is interrupted, for removingr said sheet combinginstrumentality from the pile.

' @aan n. crrmefrornnn 

